Take advantage of the apple crop by baking, preserving
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By SYDNEY J. TANNER
For the Herald
Tuesday, October 7, 2008 10:05 AM CDT
Fall time brings thoughts of apples. Sweet, juicy fruit, delicious sauce, tempting pies... YUM.
Apples have been a favorite fruit since 6500 BC. The trees are actually members of the rose family. The word as we know it, comes from the Old English aeppel. However, even in more ancient times, that’s what people have called it and it may be one of Indo-European’s oldest recognizable words.
Apples come in all colors of green red, and yellow. The five top varieties eaten in the US are: Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith.
More than 7,000 varieties are grown throughout the world. Apples are grown in all 50 states of the US. Washington State grows more than 50 percent of the apples in the US. In 2001, there were almost 8,000 apple growers. China is the country that produces the most apples. Americans eat over 40 pounds of apples per person per year. Europeans eat more apples than we do!
Inside each apple, there are five seed pockets or carpals. These are shaped like a star. Each pocket contains one or two seeds. The number of seeds per carpel is determined by the type, strength, and soundness of the tree. Different kinds of apples have different numbers of seeds.
A bushel of apples weighs between 42 and 48 pounds. It will give you 20 quarts of apple sauce.
Most apples are reproduced asexually, by grafting. Seedlings do NOT hold true for the tree and can be radically different from the parent tree. Apples will grow in a variety of soils and locations.
They do well even in northern climates, as well as hot climates. They need to be protected from wind and too much water. They need to be cross pollinated. Fruit is realized the fourth or fifth year after planting.
The trees and fruit are susceptible to many diseases and pests. Almost ALL commercial growers use chemicals to handle the problem. Always wash the fruit before you use or eat it.
The adage “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is true. Apples contain vitamin C, antioxidants, and may reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. Research also shows that apples aid in brain function, as well.
Apples are part of many cultural and religious teachings. There are countless paintings referring to apples as “the forbidden fruit” of the Garden of Eden. It is used symbolically to refer to the fall and also to salvation.
Food storage-wise, apples are wonderful. Ripe eating apples should be stored away from other foods and eaten within one month. Apples stored at room temperature get soft and deteriorate quickly. Do NOT wash apples prior to storage. Promptly remove any bruise or bad fruit. The adage “one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch” is true.
Apple selection depends of taste, and what you are going to do with the apple. Apples may be stored fresh in chilled rooms (away from potatoes). They can be canned (bottled) in slices, or made into sauces or pie fillings and canned. Apples may be frozen in slices, with sugar, or in a light syrup for up to a year with no effect.
Do not store apples with broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, lettuce or leafy greens. Apples give off a gas (ethylene) that can damage these vegetables. This same gas speeds the ripening of bananas, kiwis, peaches, plums and pears. If you want these fruits to ripen faster, place them in a paper bag with an apple.
To can apples, select firm, ripe fruit. Nineteen pounds of apples are needed to fill a seven quart canner. Wash, peel and core apples. Dip them in ascorbic acid or lemon juice to prevent discoloration. (Lemon juice is not as effective as ascorbic acid.)
Raw packed apples do not yield a desirable result. Heat apple slices in a sauce pan. Cover with boiling water or a light sugar syrup. Bring to boil and cook five minutes. Fill clean, sterile jars with the cooked apple slices. Pour boiling water or syrup to one-half inch headspace. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids. Process in water bath: 25 minutes for both pints and quarts. Or, if you prefer: pressure can at five pounds pressure for eight minutes.
To dry apples: wash, peel, core, and thinly slice apples. Pretreat by dissolving one tablespoon of crystalline ascorbic acid in one quart of cold water. Add cut fruit and soak about five minutes. Remove with and drain well.
Treating prevents discoloration, and preserves the integrity and vitamins of the fruit. To dehydrate, place treated apple slices on drying trays and dry at 150 degrees for three hours. Decrease the temp to 130 degrees and continue until completely dry.
The apples are ready when they are soft and pliable with no moist areas in the centers when cut. Store in airtight containers, in a cool, dry place. Check dried fruit often to make sure condensation has not occurred. The dried fruit may be reconstituted to use in almost any recipe. To reconstitute, steaming works best, followed by soaking. Do NOT add sugar during the rehydration process. It hinders moisture absorption.
Chunky applesauce
Ingredients:
5 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
enough water to cover
1 ½ c sugar
1 ½ -2 T cinnamon (as desired)
2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. ground cloves
Directions: In heavy kettle, cover apples with water. Bring to boil over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and spices. Reduce heat and simmer (stirring often to prevent scorching) until sauce is desired consistency. If smoother sauce is wanted, mash softened apples with potato masher. Serve hot or cold.
Apple pie filling (6 quarts)
Ingredients:
6-7 pounds apples, washed, peeled, cored, sliced
3 T lemon juice
1 c corn starch
4 ½ c sugar
1 T cinnamon
¾ tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. salt
10 c water
Directions: As soon as they are sliced, place apple slices in a bowl of cold water. Blend sugar with corn starch until well mixed. In a large kettle, add all of the ingredients except the apples. Bring to a boil. Cook (stirring occasionally to prevent scorching) until thick and bubbly. Pack hot, sterilized jars with drained apple slices. Fill with hot syrup. Stir to distribute the bubbles. Leave ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rims. Seal. Waterbath can 20 minutes. 1 Qt. to 1 regular pie shell.
Baked apples
Ingredients:
6 medium sized tart apples
¾ c brown sugar
¼ to ½ c raisins
¼ c chopped nuts
5 T butter
¾ to 1 T cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and core the apples. In a bowl, mix brown sugar, butter, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir in raisins and chopped nuts. Place cored apples in shallow baking dish with ½ inch water or apple juice covering the bottom. Stuff each apple center with sugar/raisin/nut mixture. Sprinkle or spray each apple with water. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Decrease temp to 325 degrees and continue baking another 10-15 minutes.
Master Gardener Sydney J. Tanner nurtures her 10 children as well as plants, in Colfax.
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